WILLEMSTAD – The Public Prosecution Service in Curaçao has formally charged two individuals — a 47-year-old woman, M.M., and a 58-year-old man, L.L. — with human trafficking. The suspects are the owners of the hospitality establishments Amorcito and Maribel Bar in the Muizenberg area. Prosecutors allege the pair lured five Colombian women to the island under false promises between September 2024 and February 4, 2025, and then subjected them to exploitation.
The case was heard this week before the Court of First Instance. The suspects are facing seven criminal charges, including coercing the women into performing sex acts for payment.
Deceptive Recruitment and Debt Bondage
According to the prosecution, the victims were targeted because of their vulnerable financial situations. Contact was initiated through a female intermediary on social media, who sent video messages promising regular employment on Curaçao. In reality, the women were being recruited for forced prostitution.
Before arrival, the victims were required to sign a contract and submit unretouched bikini photos. Upon arrival, they were immediately burdened with a $2,000 debt (approximately 3,600 guilders), which they were expected to repay within six weeks by selling alcohol, entertaining clients, or performing sexual acts.
The women had to arrange and pay for their own travel and accommodations, and were coached on how to pass immigration checks — including memorizing scripted answers and pretending to travel with a male companion. Upon arrival at Hato Airport, they were picked up and housed in unsanitary and overcrowded conditions, often sharing a room with two others and paying out of pocket for food, laundry, and phone calls home.
Threats and Fines
The suspects imposed strict penalties on the victims: those who were sick or late to work were fined 100 guilders, and breaching the contract could result in fines up to 150 guilders. Attempts to flee without repaying the debt triggered threats of violence against family members in Colombia. Prosecutors say the suspects used photos of relatives to intimidate the victims.
The pressure to repay the debt quickly led the women to engage in sex work at both Amorcito and Maribel Bar. They were also charged 950 guilders each for a residence permit, with no waivers granted.
The case has been postponed until September 9, as the court wishes to hear testimony from the now-returned Colombian victims and several other witnesses. The accused deny all charges.
Broader Efforts Against Human Trafficking
The Council for Law Enforcement noted in its newly released State of Justice Report Curaçao 2024 that the island has made notable progress in combating human trafficking and smuggling. Curaçao was upgraded in 2024 from the lowest designation (Tier 3) to the Tier 2 Watch List in the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report.
This improvement is largely credited to the national Anti-Trafficking Policy 2024–2026, which has been formally adopted. The Council reports plans are underway to open a shelter specifically for trafficking victims, as well as a transitional facility. Additional steps include certifying investigators and implementing a barrier model to better identify gaps in law enforcement.
However, challenges remain — particularly due to staff shortages in immigration services, which hinder proper airport screening. Justice officials have responded by stationing a public prosecutor at the airport and developing administrative protocols to streamline case handling.
Photo credit: Extra
